A Kurosaki Night Before Christmas
by Sariniste
Summary: Ten years after Yhwach's defeat, Ichigo and Orihime receive an unexpected visitor down their chimney on Christmas Eve. Post-canon, OOC, silliness and Christmas fluff. One-shot.


**A Kurosaki Night Before Christmas**

 **Summary** : Ten years after Yhwach's defeat, Ichigo and Orihime receive an unexpected visitor down their chimney on Christmas Eve. Post-canon, OOC, silliness and Christmas fluff. One-shot.

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 **A/N:** Definitely OOC, and I'm shamelessly mixing canon with a traditional US Christian holiday. Forgive me; it's just in fun. Plus I needed a "white Christmas" story this year.

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Bleach.

(Originally posted 12/24/2017.)

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Snow drifted down over the quiet, dark streets, and strings of colored lights outlined the eaves of the houses. Ichigo twitched the curtains shut with a sigh of contentment. It was so peaceful. How lovely that snow was falling on Christmas Eve, and that for the first time in many years they would have a white Christmas.

His experiences as a teenager had taught him, more than anything else, to relish peace and to bask in quiet and safety. Running an emergency clinic, he all too often was thrust into life and death situations. But in recent years, the number of emergencies that crossed the threshold of the clinic had reduced. The world of the living, like Soul Society, had known peace after the end of the Quincy War. And Ichigo rejoiced.

A soft hum of contentment, punctuated by occasional quibbling, came from the kitchen, where Yuzu and Karin were preparing Christmas dinner for the family. Orihime was in her studio, working on a last-minute deadline for her manga. Kazui was upstairs, supposedly working on homework, although Ichigo suspected he was playing video games. And Ichigo was enjoying a time of relaxation. The clinic was completely empty, so he could devote Christmas to his family. His dad would be dropping by later for dinner.

A glittering tree stood by the fireplace, and the floor surrounding it was piled high with presents. Orihime had carefully laid out a plate of homemade cookies beside the fireplace earlier that afternoon.

"I'll pour a glass of milk out just before we go to bed, so it doesn't spoil before Santa comes down the chimney at midnight tonight," she'd told Kazui.

Ichigo had rolled his eyes, although he was careful not to let either his wife or son see. Orihime was adamant that Kazui still believed in Santa Claus, although Ichigo was certain that Kazui already knew there was no such person and was just pretending to keep his mother and father happy.

The mantel shook ever so slightly, and bits of soot drifted down the chimney onto the roaring fire of the Yule log below. Ichigo stared. Was it an earthquake? No, the ground seemed solid.

He took a deep breath. Senses he hadn't used for ten years were tingling. He shook his head. No, he must be imagining it. He had deliberately chosen to stop responding to hollow incursions, allowing the neighborhood shinigami on patrol to handle it. But this didn't feel like a hollow.

The reiatsu signature felt like a powerful shinigami, and almost familiar, but it was coming from a strange direction — from the top of their chimney? Flabbergasted, Ichigo took a step forward. The chimney shook again, and there was a definite rattling from the top.

Orihime came running out into the living room, an ink stain streaking her left cheek. "I thought I felt something!" She looked up in the direction Ichigo was staring. "Is something coming down the chimney?"

Ichigo had already taken a defensive stance. Although he hadn't called upon his powers for a decade, he'd always been ready to protect his family.

But Orihime was wearing a blinding smile. "Santa! Santa is coming down the chimney!" she called out with that childlike enthusiasm she had never lost.

Ichigo loved it in her, and so did her many manga fans; they all adored her combination of wild imagination and enthusiastic sweetness. But certainly, now was not the time to foster that kind of imagination when what it felt like to Ichigo was an attack. An attack on his family by someone powerful.

The clatter became louder, and debris rattled down the flue. With a sudden whoosh, a figure tumbled down the chimney and shot through the fireplace until he was standing on the hearth rug before the Christmas tree.

"Santa!" cried Orihime in delight. She waved a brush she was still holding. "I've been waiting all my life to see you come down the chimney." She peered at the fire still roaring merrily away in the fireplace. "I've always wondered how you avoided getting burned."

The man was clad all in red trimmed with white fur, wearing a fuzzy cap on his head. He finally straightened, and Ichigo's jaw dropped at the sight of his face.

Brown, messy hair peeped out from under the Santa hat, one single strand hanging between deep brown eyes, a faint smile curling his lips.

Ichigo was dumbstruck. He was staring at none other than Aizen Sousuke, looking none the worse for wear, and dressed up in of all things, a Santa Claus suit.

He'd thought the man was still in prison, serving a term of twenty thousand years. What was he doing in their living room wearing a Santa suit?

To Ichigo's horror, Orihime rushed forward and flung her arms around Aizen, squeezing him in a big hug. "Santa! We are so honored that you've decided to stop by. I made you cookies."

Aizen gave her a fatherly pat on the back, but Ichigo couldn't help being quite aware that Orihime's chest was pressed against Aizen's Santa suit, and that the man's eyes had flicked to her cleavage and then away.

"Get away from her, Aizen!" he shouted, but neither took any heed of his fury.

Orihime unwound herself from Aizen's embrace to point at the plate beside the fireplace. "Orange, coconut, and chocolate chip cookies, one of my specialties," she said proudly.

"Why, that sounds delicious," said Aizen in his deep, rich voice, unfortunately all too familiar to Ichigo.

He roughly pushed Orihime behind him and stood between the two. "Stay back, Orihime," he said. To the man, he said, "What are you doing in my house, Aizen?! Get out right this second!"

Aizen only smirked, and reached out a hand to take one of the cookies. He bit into it, gave a little sigh, and ran his tongue over his lips as though to capture every crumb. "Delicious as always, Orihime."

Orihime, seemingly oblivious to "Santa Claus's" true identity, and Ichigo about to draw his zanpakuto, smiled quietly and said, "I'm so glad you like them, Claus-san."

Ichigo gaped. "Orihime, what are you doing?"

Aizen smirked and glided to a seat in the armchair beside the fire, still holding the plate of cookies which he set on his lap. "Calm yourself, Ichigo. Everyone here will see exactly what I want them to see."

"But how—" Ichigo began, then shook his head at his own obtuseness. "Of course. Kyouka Suigetsu's hypnosis lasts indefinitely. And I seem to be the only one that you didn't put under your spell." He glared furiously at Aizen. "What are you doing here?"

Aizen selected another cookie and bit into it with another sigh of delight. "You need not fear, Ichigo. I will not harm anyone under this roof tonight."

Ichigo lowered his brows. "I don't trust you for a second, you bastard! You still haven't told me why you're here. How come you're not in prison?"

Aizen licked a crumb of chocolate off one long finger. "Since when were you under the impression that I was in prison?"

"Not that again." Ichigo rolled his eyes. "So who's sitting in your chair?"

"Merely a member of Central 46 who was particularly rude to me. I'm certain his temperament will be improved by his sentence."

"You know I'm going to tell the Gotei 13 that you've escaped."

"And risk them throwing your own son into jail?"

"What? What are you talking about?" Ichigo shook his head in anger and bewilderment. Why did Aizen's lies always manage to twist him up, even worse than his illusions, until he was never sure what was real or not. "I thought you said you weren't going to harm him."

"I said I'd harm no one under this roof. Tonight. I'm actually here on a mission of mercy. Are you aware that Kazui is not in his room at present?"

"You're lying," Ichigo said automatically. "He's playing video games upstairs."

Aizen shook his head slowly. "Why are the parents always the last to know?" he said with mock sorrow. "Surely you are familiar with the shinigami Abarai Ichika, are you not?"

"Yeah, so?"

"The two have regularly been sneaking out on illicit adventures. Really, you should watch more carefully over your own offspring. Although it's true, he might be safe since he's even more overpowered than you." Aizen clicked his tongue ruefully.

Ichigo hesitated. Part of him wanted to dash upstairs to check on Kazui. But what if Aizen was lying, and this was a trick to get him alone with Orihime? She was still chattering away obliviously to "Santa."

"What's all this about, Aizen? And why the ridiculous outfit?"

"Now, Ichigo, don't you believe in Santa Claus? And here I thought you were a staunch upholder of truth and goodness in the world. And who is more of a symbol of such virtues than the jolly old man who travels the world, completely altruistically, giving away a fortune in toys for free each year?"

Ichigo scowled in fury. He wanted nothing more than to slap the smirk off Aizen's face. "Shut up and tell me what's going on!" he shouted.

"Really, I don't think you're in a position to make demands." Aizen leaned back in Ichigo's armchair. "Now, will you remain quiet so I can instruct you upon your next actions, or will you continue to posture and bluster?"

Ichigo took a deep breath, trying to get himself under control. Allowing Aizen to provoke you never ended well. He was no longer a flighty teenager, but a successful doctor, husband, and father. He had responsibilities, and he needed to remain calm. "All right, I'm listening." He glanced once more at Orihime to make sure she was physically in no danger. He had rarely seen her so cheerful, as she conversed with "Santa." He shook his head, briefly wondering how Aizen was able to simultaneously carry on two conversations at once. He supposed the centuries of practice deceiving people had something to do with it.

Aizen said softly, "Believe it or not, Ichigo, I am truly here on a mission of peace tonight. To put it plainly, I'm tired of living as a fugitive. I want a pardon from Soul Society, and I want you to negotiate it for me. In return, I will give you some information about the nature of your son's abilities that will probably save his life."

Ichigo couldn't help it. His jaw dropped open again. Why did Aizen always make him feel like an idiot? Certainly the repeated shocks, especially after so many years of peace, were almost too much. "My son is in danger?"

"Will you agree to negotiate on my behalf? The captain-commander promised me a pardon if I assisted Soul Society during the Quincy war. Central 46 overruled him and decreed I was to return to jail. It was petty of them — for some reason, they couldn't get over my past actions against them."

"You mean the brutal mass murder of their predecessors?" Ichigo demanded, scowling.

Aizen ignored the interruption and continued blithely, "I used my powers to slip away, but it's growing increasingly difficult to hide my reiatsu from the new equipment that Mayuri has developed. I have to keep moving from place to place."

Ichigo stared at the rogue shinigami who had caused so much death and destruction a decade ago. "You want _me_ to help _you_? After everything you did?"

"I did strike a decisive blow on Soul Society's behalf. If it weren't for me, all the worlds would likely be under Yhwach's jackboot today. It's due to me that humanity still has access to hope and courage, after all. Besides, soutaichou made a promise. Don't you believe in justice?"

Ichigo sighed. "I don't think that word really applies to you."

Aizen smiled gently and tilted his head to the side. "And here I thought you made a policy of turning enemies into friends. Byakuya, Grimmjow, Nel, Harribel, the Fullbringers, even the Quincies. Why not me?"

"And what do you mean about Kazui?"

"No one has made a more detailed study of your powers and your wife's than I," Aizen said, gesturing at Orihime, who was now chattering about the latest adventure plot in her manga. "And what I have deduced about your son, and how his powers interact with the fabric of the universe, will be of personal interest to anyone who cares about his future existence."

Aizen paused, and his eyes searched Ichigo's face. "Now, do you want me as a friend or an enemy?"

With a sigh, Ichigo collapsed into another chair. He looked out the window, where the snow was falling more thickly than ever. It seemed so peaceful and magical out there on Christmas Eve, so quiet. It was quiet enough that he could almost believe that maybe this time, on this night of all nights, Aizen was telling the truth. "Well," he said with a long sigh, "it is Christmas."

"True," agreed Aizen. "The night of miracles."

"And it is true that I befriended just about everyone else I encountered during my adventures." Ichigo groaned. "I'm sure I'm making a big mistake, but… all right."

Aizen smiled and stood up. "Excellent. We have a deal then. In that case, I'll leave you to your peaceful family dinner, and will contact you later." To Orihime, he said, "I must be on my way. No rest for Santa!" He strode to the fireplace and glanced over his shoulder at Ichigo. "And no worries about Kazui. One of my elves has just delivered him safely back to his room."

Then laying his finger aside of his nose, and giving a nod, up the chimney he rose.

Orihime ran to the hearth, and heedless of the fire, stuck her head up the flue, shouting, "Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"

Kazui's feet sounded on the stairs, and the smell of roasting duck drifted into the hall. Ichigo glanced around the peaceful, warm living room, took particular note of Orihime's delight with a visit from "Santa," gazed for a moment at her pink cheeks and sparkling eyes which never failed to soothe his soul, and heaved a huge sigh of relief. His family was safe and happy, dinner smelled delicious, and it was Christmas night. He'd worry about tomorrow later.

He took his wife in his arms. "Merry Christmas, Orihime." He nuzzled her cheek, and she curled into him. "Have I told you lately I love you?"

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 **A/N:** Happy holidays to all, and best wishes for the new year! Please leave a review if you can.


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